I am not very sure if the word crush ("an intense and usually passing infatuation") can be used between two strangers.

For example, a man sees a beautiful woman for the first time in his life. Could he have a crush on the woman? It seems to me that the word crush is too strong.

If I want to express a feeling in the heart–some small movement in the heart caused by seeing the woman–what word would I use? It's just a temporary flash in the heart. It seems the heart is moved by some force.

How does English address such feelings other than by saying: "I had a temporary heart-moving crush on you"?

I don't know why you wouldn't just say "I have a crush on you". It would then be understood that you have felt something for that person that wasn't 'love', but it was an attraction.
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SoutaOct 14 '12 at 22:05

I know you're not looking for "crush", so I'm not adding an answer, but I hear "bit of a crush" and "a little crush" quite often.
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Matthew FrederickOct 15 '12 at 3:17

9 Answers
9

I'm not sure which scenario you want answered. But, you could say something along the lines of:

My first sight of her made my heart flutter.

My first sight of her set my heart aflutter.

My first sight of her left me momentarily breathless.

I had a thing for you when I first met you ...

I had a little crush on you when I first met you ...

You can also exercise your imagination and use a little wordplay to convey similar sentiments. For example, hearts can take huge, little, and tiny leaps of joy, start beating loudly or faster, pulses can race, etc., etc.

How about "thrill"?
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, reads: "
v. To cause to feel a sudden intense sensation; excite greatly.
v. To give great pleasure to; delight. See Synonyms at enrapture.
v. To cause to quiver, tremble, or vibrate.
v. To feel a sudden quiver of excitement or emotion.
v. To quiver, tremble, or vibrate.
n. A quivering or trembling caused by sudden excitement or emotion.
n. A source or cause of excitement or emotion."

Should be noted that sparked my fancy would be quite specific to UK English and would be considered uncommon in US English.
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zooone9243Oct 14 '12 at 17:55

1

@tchrist Well I suppose I'm just speaking from personal experience and hear UK English speakers use fancy to mean fondness or like much more than US English speakers. I may be wrong though.
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zooone9243Oct 14 '12 at 18:28

I am glad to see thrill brought forward, and surprised not to see some other very common ways we describe the strange, seemingly magical spark we sometimes feel upon meeting a new person. We often say we are:

thrilled

charmed

enchanted

delighted

We sometimes admit these feelings upon being introduced, using expressions such as: